A Brownian Dynamics Simulation to Study the Influence of Gravity on the Process of Particle Coagulation in Suspension

Abstract

The Brownian dynamics method was used to simulate the influence of gravity on the process of particle coagulation in a dilute solution. By including or excluding the gravitational influence in a computer simulation, the relative change in the number of aggregates with time for these two gravitational conditions could be compared. Time-dependent variations of the number and size of all aggregates under the gravitational conditions were obtained. We conclude that the influence of gravity is negligible during the earlier stage of the coagulation process and that the rate of aggregation is accelerated by the gravitational force in the latter stage. The effect of gravitational force on the process of particle aggregation in suspension is discussed by using a dynamic analysis method.